Alliance Community Pantry founder honored by Akron-Canton Foodbank

Published: April 17, 2014 3:00 AM

Dave Puterbaugh, founder and past president of the Alliance Community Pantry board, was recognized recently at the annual Volunteer Recognition reception at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.

In presenting the first ever Network Leadership Award, Dan Flowers, president and CEO of the foodbank, recalled receiving a phone called from Puterbaugh in 2006 asking what could be done to help feed people in Alliance. That started the one-day food giveaways, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club, which evolved into the Alliance Community Pantry. Today, the Alliance pantry is one of the largest agencies in the foodbank's eight-county service area.

Flowers said of Puterbaugh, "He worked diligently to secure a building, recruit volunteers and find funding to establish the Alliance Community Pantry in 2010. In just a few short years, his pantry has become a model of excellence in our network."

"Recognizing our member agency volunteers is a new part of our program this year," Flowers said. "This will be awarded annually to an outstanding volunteer from our well-deserving member agency network."

Located in Akron, the foodbank works with 500 member agency programs in northeast Ohio, such as hot meal sites, soup kitchens and pantries, that distribute food to those who need it most. It was noted 74 percent of the food pantries operate solely by dedicated volunteers, as does the Alliance pantry.

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Volunteers are key in the operation of the foodbank, as well at the various pantries. Flowers said in 2013, 6,800 volunteers donated 40,000 hours at the foodbank, which is equivalent to 19 full-time employees.

Also honored at the event was Westfield Insurance with the Corporate Volunteer of the Year Award, as its employees pledged more than $52,000 (or 200,000 meals) to the foodbank, and Roy Saucier, of Green, who was named Volunteer of the Year. Saucier donated 425 hours in 2013 as a volunteer driver picking up food and funds in countless community locations.

Several Alliance pantry volunteers and board members attended the event.